Three men will stand trial in Newcastle District Court over charges related to the alleged rape and sexual assault of three women in Newcastle West last year.
Andrew David, 29, and brothers Maurice and Marius Hawell - 28 and 21, respectively - have pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges related to three complainants who allege they were assaulted at accommodation while the Sydney men were in Newcastle for a buck's weekend in February 2022.
In Newcastle Local Court on Monday, the men were committed to stand trial in the district court. It could be as long as 12 months before the trial takes place, the court heard.
The matter will be first mentioned in the district court on July 20.
Magistrate Ian Cheetham on Monday rejected an application from the Crown to have two witnesses give evidence in the local court before the matter was committed, saying it was not in the interest of justice and would not assist in allowing the three men a fair trial.
To justify the relatively unusual request, the Crown argued that neither witness had spoken with police and it was unclear what they planned to say in their evidence.
But among concerns raised by defence barrister Richard Pontello, SC, was an "extraordinary delay" in proceedings - with the matter being committed for trial more than a year after the men were charged.
The three men remain on bail.
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